THE City gaffer launched a bitter complaint against the Swedish referee after his side's Champions League dream was crushed by the Spanish giants.

Barcelona players celebrate after Lionel Messi's opener against Manchester City

MANUEL PELLEGRINI claimed referee Jonas Eriksson cost Manchester City the game last night as he aimed a bitter blast at the Swedish official.

The City gaffer saw his side’s Champions League dream all but dashed as Lionel Messi’s spot-kick and a late Dani Alves strike earned Barcelona a healthy lead in the last-16 showdown.

But
rather than take red card sinner Martin Demichelis to task for his moment of madness that led to Barca’s opener, Pellegrini took aim at ref
Eriksson.

He said: “The ref decided the game. Of course I have a complaint, not only for the penalty and the red card. The whole match we
didn’t have a referee with impartiality to both teams.

“It was a foul by Sergio Busquets on Jesus Navas before the penalty and after that the foul from Demichelis is outside the box, it’s not a penalty.”

Eriksson
came under fire last term after failing to award Barca a spot-kick in their last-16 clash with AC Milan and Pellegrini added: “It’s a mistake to nominate a referee that has had problems with Barcelona.

“Maybe he made errors in Milan. To have the same referee here is a mistake.”